An Interesting Duo
by TheSociopath'sPianist
Summary: Two teenage girls find out their past is intertwined closely with the famous consulting detective and his best friend. Paths cross. An old enemy has a new target. Nothing could go wrong, right?
1. Prologue

_Prologue_

Courage.

A beautiful word, don't you think? what do you think of when you hear it? Do you see knights of the round table, dressed in full armor, charging into the midst of battle? Or do you see the loyal men and women of today's fire and police departments, at the ready for any distress call that might come? Or perhaps you see someone who is, or was, close to your heart. Anyone can have it. Yet, it is sometimes easier to say you have courage, than to actually have to test it out.

The Oxford Dictionary defines courage as "The ability to do something that frightens one," and "having strength in the face of pain or grief." The two girls of our story may have known the definition of it, but they had no idea of the true meaning behind it. They had strength and bravery, but they had no idea how taxing courage can be.

This is a story of how, through the help of our two favorite consulting detectives, two friends learned the real meaning of the word.

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Song of the prologue: Courageous by Casting Crowns

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Hey all! So this story was written by my best friend Reese and me. We are going by undercover names to keep our true identities secret. (Mine's Twix, if your curious.)

The song references will appear at the end of every chapter, but forgive me if they occasionally don't. Sometimes I might be at a loss. If you can think of one for a chapter that doesn't already have one, suggest it, and I may consider adding it later. (Besides the fact that I love listening to new music!)

This story took us almost a year to come up with and complete, requiring many revisions and edits. After making sure we had gotten it right (or as close as possible), we decided to see what you, the people dedicated to Sherlock, thought. I will post the first chapter later today and then hopefully get a new chapter up each week. ("Hopefully" being the word emphasis.) You don't have to review the prologue, but if you want to, that would make me happy!

Unfortunate fact of the day: I don't own Sherlock, nor does Reece.


	2. A Midnight Conversation

**(Baliey's POV)**

I had no reason for Sherlock Holmes to call me...or my best friend Abbie, for that matter. Let me back up for a second. We were binge-watching A-Team and eating the scones we had made earlier in the evening. Yep! You guessed it...sleepover time! Anyway, we were laughing at insane Murdoch's antics and fangirling over the incredibly adorable Face when the phone rang. It being midnight (12:03 to be exact), my mom, dad, and two brothers were all asleep. I paused the episode and we listened as the phone announced a "Call from John Watson." We looked at each other, stunned! Sherlock and John were our all-time favorites! We followed their stunning escapades in the newspaper and on their respective blogs. I got over the shock quickly and answered the phone, then hit the speakerphone button so Abbie could hear.

"Ream residence, Bailey speaking."

"Hello, Bailey," said a light tenor voice. Definitely Watson. "We were looking to visit West Virginia and wondered if you could help." I was extremely puzzled, let me tell you. I mean, seriously!

"One moment, please," I said politely and professionally. I pulled Abbie aside. We held a hushed conference.

"What the heck are we doing talking to John Watson at 12:05 in the morning?!" Abbie exploded.

"Shhhhhhh!" I said. "Why would they call us, and what could they possibly want to visit West Virginia for?"

"Well, you could ask him," Abbie said, her tone of 'Uh...duh!' obvious. I nodded.

"A couple questions for you, Dr. Watson. First, is this for a case?"

"Yes," he responded.

That was all well and good. "Second, why us? There are any number of travel agencies."

"We have some mutual friends, the Meikles, from Zimbabwe who recommended you...do you remember them?" I smiled. We had stayed with the Miekles for three days, and they had reminded me of my grandparents.

"Of course! We so appreciated their hospitality," I said.

"Great!" John responded. "We will need to be there for three days, and because of the nature of the case, it needs to be as soon as possible. When works for you?"

I motioned for Abbie to snag my planner, which was on the kitchen counter. On the way back, she grabbed hers out of her backpack. We compared dates. It was hard to find three free days, her being a junior and my being a senior, but we found three days in the beginning of March.

"Just to let you know, my best friend Abbie is listening to this conversation, as well," I informed John. "Is it okay if she came with me?"

"By all means!" John said. I nodded as Abbie did her victory dance.

"Great," I said. "We have the fourth, fifth, and sixth of March free. How does that sound? It is only about two weeks away."

"Sounds perfect," John Watson said.

"See you then, I suppose," I responded.

"Guess so. Bye!" Watson hung up. Abbie and I looked at each other in astonishment. Watson and Holmes? Coming here? And asking us to host them? Oh my gosh! After ten minutes of excited but silent happy dancing, we returned to watching A-team.

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Song of the Chapter: Happy by Pharrell Williams, the _Despicable Me_ sound track

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Thank you all so much for reading! It's really late so I am not going to say much, but I do want to thank all the people that have already looked at this. I just got this up this afternoon, and I already had nine people look at it! That makes me very excited!

Best of wishes for a good weekend to you all! Keep an eye open, because I may have a surprise on here again tomorrow afternoon, if my co-writer doesn't mind... Thanks again!


	3. Introductions

(John's POV)

When the plane touched down in Parkersburg, West Virginia, I nearly sighed with relief. Sherlock had been deducing before the flight. His first victim had been a young boy afraid of heights. The next had been eighteen year old girl running from her constantly drunk father. I can understand that he is bored, and anxious to see his... err, meet our hostesses, but he didn't have to throw such temper at every person that he laid eyes on.

After a little while, he finally shut up and fell asleep. After making sure he was completely unconscious, I managed to read a book and watch two movies. i was never one for sleeping while flying. Hours later, we made it to the city. Sherlock must have sensed our arrival, because he woke just before the pilot announced that we needed to strap ourselves down.

After we grabbed our bags, we headed out of the terminal to see two teenage girls jumping out of a Ford Expedition. They waved and walked in our direction. They were whispering about something, and from the way they glanced over at us, I believe it had something to do with us. When they were closer, they stopped and smiled politely. The brunet with hazel eyes spoke up.

"I'm Abigail Wilson, and this is Bailey Ream. You are Dr. John Watson and Mr. Sherlock Holmes, I presume?"

"Your presumption was correct." I smiled at her. 'Definitely her father's eyes, but her mother's open and cheerful attitude.' I thought.

We all shook hands politely. Then the darker, curly haired girl, who had been looking very intently at Sherlock, stated "I thought you wore a hat."

I chuckled, Sherlock sighed, and Abigail nudged her in the arm.

"Seriously?" She nearly hissed. "He hates that thing." But, as almost an afterthought, she smirked. "However, it did look fantastic on you."

I laughed out loud this time. I caught a small ripple of shock cross Sherlock's face before he went back to his completely unconcerned mask.

Bailey managed to stop giggling at Abigail's comment long enough to motion us to the car and help get our bags into the back. "You asked to be here on a case." She said as she climbed into the driver's seat. "So, we figured if you wanted to see the ground work of Parkersburg and Vienna, we could give you a tour. Unless, of course, you wanted to go straight to somewhere, then we could do that too. We are at your command for the extent of the next three days."

We had slid into the back seat, so the girls had turned to look over the shoulders of their chairs, awaiting orders like obedient puppies.

"A tour would be quite an aid in this investigation." Sherlock stated. That had been the calmest sentence I had heard from him in almost two days.

"Sherlock's right. Why don't you tell us a little about yourselves as well. It's always good to know our hosts."

The girls exchanged a small glance. Then Abigail said, "Well, I'll start..."

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Song of the chapter: Me and My Cello (Happy Together), by The Piano Guys

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Thank you for reading, and Reece, thanks for your approval! Sorry I was late tonight. Some days just don't want you to have everything your way. Grrr...

Anyway, best of wishes for a good week to you all!


	4. Past, Present, and Immediate Future

(Abbie's POV)

After Bailey got on the Interstate towards downtown, I began my slightly crazy story.

"Where would you like me to start?" I asked cautiously.

"Wherever you feel most comfortable, Abigail." John said from behind me.

"Oh, please call me Abbie. I love my name, but it is much too formal for this. I guess I start from the beginning. I was raised here in the US, as you can probably tell, but I was born in London, England. My parents left not long after I was born because of my grandparents on my moms side. More specifically, my Grandmother, who hated that my mom chose a pharmacist over an army man, who had been trying to get my mom for years. Dad couldn't find work, and mom wanted a cleaner environment for me to grow up in. So we moved here. I have been here the rest of my life."

"That must be hard, not getting to ever see your family." John said quietly.

"Yes it is. My parents had discussed going to see my uncle who came back from the war a few years ago."

"I was going to stow away in her suitcase!" Bailey interjected. I grinned and punched her arm lightly, making sure that it wouldn't knock the wheel and get us all killed.

"I don't know anything about him, I continued. "Mom said she wanted to let us meet and let him tell me stories about his life. However, our budget is tight as it is. If we tried to go to London now, we would be so far into debt, I might have to consider getting a job, and there would be no savings in my college fund. Alright, enough of my sob story."

I gave Bailey a nod to let her know I was done.

"Right," She said, hitting her blinker to get into the fast lane. "Well, I have lived here for quite a while, but I can't exactly tell you how long. I have tried looking up baby pictures, but I only get as far as my fourth birthday, then it just stops! I asked my parents, but they either change the subject or talk vaguely like before that point, it's not important. I really don't know a lot about my past..." I patted her shoulder. She had always been a little bitter about that.

I noticed the men exchange a swift glance. I caught one from Bailey, and knew she had seen their silent conversation too. I wondered for a moment if there was something they weren't telling us. Why is it that grown-ups always act like they know more than us and that the truth is too much for us to handle? It always bugs me.

We made it down town in time to see Michael headed into dance class. He saw us and waved as we passed.

"That was Michael, my younger brother," Bailey explained. "He's going on seventeen in July. He took so many college classes this year that he is on campus more than at home!"

"How many siblings do you each have?" John asked.

"I have two. Michael, and Jared is thirteen. Abbie here has three."

"A thirteen year old brother, a nine year old sister, and six year old brother. Chaos in basic terms."I said rolling my eyes.

I heard John laugh. Sherlock even chuckled, if it was only for a second.

We showed them the Dance academy, the theater where we had many good memories of shows together, and Juliana Street, which is well known for it's ridiculously old homes.

We gradually moved in to the main part of town.

"Well?" I asked, after we made it almost all the way across town. I looked to Bailey for ideas. "What now?"

O.o.o.O.o.o.O.o.o.O.o.o.O

Song of the chapter: Welcome to My Life, by Simple Plan

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Thank you all for reading! Nearly fifty views in less than a week! I am thrilled!

The next chapter will be up later this weekend, hopefully. Fingers crossed!

Also, we will be getting into the more interesting stuff soon. (Exp. Fighting, shopping, and London!) Bear with us. When we first did this, our first draft sounded like we hadn't slept in days and we had eaten way too much candy.(which may or may not have been rather close to the truth...)

PLEASE, if you have any comments or questions, please give your review! It really helps us both.

Alright, have a great weekend!


	5. Dinner

(Sherlock's POV)

"How about some dinner? It's already five thirty!" Bailey exclaimed. "I'm starving!" A sober look crossed her face. "No. I'm just hungry." She must have seen my quizzical look because she explained, "A couple years ago, I spent a month in Zimbabwe, Africa at a children's home with my family on a mission trip. When we met the Meikles?". She grinned at John in the rearview mirror. " I now know that I am not starving, nor do I have anything to complain about at all!" John nodded sympathetically.

"Anyway..." Abigail trailed off.

"Anyway, are you guys hungry?" Bailey asked. John answered in the affirmative, but I could not care less. I looked out the window and watched the town whiz by outside the window. I am not entirely sure it was supposed to be whizzing. "Here are your options," Bailey said, stopping extremely smoothly for a red light. "We have a very good Italian place, an exquisite Latin restaurant, and an amazing Lebanese bistro." John considered this for a moment. I was busy in my mind palace.

"How about the Italian," he decided just as Bailey sped up.

"Bien! Italian it is. Good choice!" Bailey commented. Abigail nodded, seeming excited about dinner. The rest of the fifteen minute ride was filled with a heavy silence. I was bored. Finally, after what seemed an interminable amount of time, we arrived. Bailey and Abigail led the way into the restaurant.

"This is very nice!" John commented.

"Yep! It's family owned," Abigail said. Bailey said hi to our waitress, and the three of them ordered our drinks. The waitress went off.

"Do you know everyone around here?" I asked.

"For the most part, yes," Bailey said absentmindedly as she stared at a tv on the wall behind me. Some American football game was on, and she was enthralled.

Abigail poked Bailey's shoulder, bringing her back to the moment. "It's unusual to go anywhere without seeing someone I know," Bailey clarified. How dull. No one new.

John seemed to find this nice, though, nodding enthusiastically. The waitress came back.

"Fettuccine Alfredo with the spicy chicken, please. Gluten free," Bailey ordered. Interesting. I wonder...

"I'll just have plain fettuccini alfredo, please," Abigail said politely.

John considered the menu before deciding. "Sherlock probably will not order, so we will split the seafood pizza," he said.

"But I don't..." I began.

"That will be all, thanks," John said, cutting me off. The waitress nodded, then headed to put our order in. The rest of dinner passed pleasantly enough. I tried two pieces of the seafood pizza. I stayed in my mind palace as the other three made polite social dinner table talk.

Chapter music: We Will Rock You, by Queen (for beating Martials!)


	6. Rules: Things to be ignored

Dinner was very pleasant...plus WVU beat Marshall 27:3! Anywho, after we had finished and paid (Abbie and I paid for dinner, but John insisted on treating us for dessert), we headed back out to the car. It was 6:45. Abbie saw the time and gasped. "Oh! I almost forgot! I have to be at game night at my church at seven! Do you guys want to come?" She asked, directing the question to Sherlock and John. "I'm bringing Clue," she added in an enticing tone.

John bit the bait. "That sounds fun! We'll go." I smiled at Abbie and turned the music up.

It took one minute and six seconds (I timed it) to drive from C.J.'s (the Italian place) to the Rosemar Church of Christ (Abbie's church). The four of us piled out of the car and headed inside. We found a table in the back of the room already full of elders and young kids in equal measure. "Okay. We'll play in teams," Abbie said as she began setting the game up. "Bailey and me versus Sherlock and John. I'm assuming you both know how to play?"

"Of course we know how to play. A child could learn," Sherlock said. John shot him a "Sherlock-be-nice-to-these-sweet-young-ladies-or-I-deck-you" look. Sherlock shut up.

"We have both played before, yes. Though I warn you that there are some perplexing theories from that one," he said,gesturing to Sherlock, who had zoned out. Abbie and I nodded. The game began. Oh, Clue? That's a kid's game! you say. Yeah. Not with Sherlock, it isn't. You could nearly feel the drive to win. It was intense! And when I say intense, I mean silent-with-a-heavy-atmosphere intense, not some friendly game. There were a couple times when Sherlock decided to voice a theory out loud. Like the one where he decided (and I don't know where he got this from) that it had been the victim's Mother (who wasn't even a character) in the garden (which wasn't a location) with a pistol (which was the only part of this theory that actually existed in the game). Oh, well. Maybe he'll explain later.

Anyway, after some time, Abbie looked at me and said, "Oh. My. Gosh! We won!"

"WHAT?" I said, maybe a tad too loudly. "Oh my gosh! Seriously?" I asked in an excited whisper. Abbie showed me her cards. I could hardly believe it!

"We beat Sherlock Holmes at Clue?" I questioned wonderingly.

Sherlock defended himself: "There was no crime scene or body to investigate."

"And even the great Sherlock Holmes must play by the rules!" John added.

Sherlock shook his head. I could tell he was a rules-optional kind of guy. Gee, really? "I don't have to, but because these two are okay I decided to."

"Wow! High praise!" John said. Abbie looked down, smiled, and blushed. (She has a huge crush on Sherlock!) [OWWWWW! Abbie just pinched me! Okay, maybe not a huge crush.]. I, on the other hand, just grinned.

"Does that mean we might be able to help you on some cases?" I asked. Abbie kicked me under the table. (Did I tell you how much she enjoys hitting me? Jk!)

Sherlock considered this for a moment before saying, "No. I don't need liabilities. Or baggage that I have to take care of."

I'm a black belt. Did I mention that already? No? Well, as a black belt, I am always prepared. "Okay. I can prove that I can take care of myself," I said, rising from my chair.

"Not right now," Sherlock said. "I'm not ready. Tomorrow?"

"We'll pick you up at 6:45," I said.

"Where will we do this?" John asked. Abbie had the answer.

"Why, the HyHo Dojo, of course," she said in an 'uh, duh!' tone. We shared a look, then burst out laughing at the bewildered expressions on John and Sherlock's faces.

"It's a church right inside the Vienna city limits. It's where Abbie does karate," I explained.

Abbie held up a hand, stopping the question that was on John's tongue...and no doubt Sherlock's. "The name just showed up in the paper one day with our class' picture. Who knew Sensei Wayne has a sense of humor?" We laughed together.

"So, we'll see you then?" John said.

"Yep! Six forty five," I said. Then we packed up Clue and headed out.

Chapter song: The 5th by David Garrett (most likely what we were listening to in the car!)

Thank you for making it this far! We apriciate the support! Please feel free to r&r!


	7. A Foreshadow

John's POV.

After we checked into our hotel double suite (the girls knew the man that owned the place), Sherlock disappeared into his room. I went in to check on him when I was ready to hit the sack, and found him still fully dressed, coat and all, reclining in one of the arm chairs.

"Sherlock," I said as calmly as possible, "You have to go to bed. We are going to be up early running with Abbie and Bailey all day."

He didn't move for a moment. Then, without opening his eyes, he asked, "Did you see them?"

"See who?" I asked.

"The men in the restaurant, John," he criticized, his eyebrows knitting themselves more closely together. "More specifically, the one with the death tattoo on his upper arm."

"Great. So he knows, then? And he's sent his men to spy on us."

"He may not know why we are here. But he knows something is up." He sat up and steepled his fingers, glaring at the floor like it was going to tell our enemy all of our secrets.

"Maybe we should cancel tomorrow's outing, then. Whatever abilities those girls have should be kept hidden."

"No, no. That isn't necessary. I want to see what they can do, as I'm sure you do as well."

"Yes, but if it puts them in danger-"

"It won't," Sherlock said, cutting me off. His gaze rose to meet mine. "Remember who I am putting in the line of fire here, John. I wouldn't do this if it weren't absolutely compulsory. I need to know what they are capable of before I can make any more plans."

"Alright. Fine. But you need to get some sleep. He won't hurt them tonight." I went back to my room, leaving Sherlock in his chair, staring at the bed, most likely pondering how much sleep he would need to be fully functional in the morning.

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Chapter Song: Twinkle Luluby by The Piano Guys (to assist Sherlock in going to sleep!)

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Again, thank yolatterreading. We really appreciate your support! If there's anything you think we can do better, let us know.

The latter end of the weekend should have another gift in store for you, so keep your eyes peeled!

Also, to any of you who have been reading my TSS story, I have put the poor thing on hold again, due to this story and school/schedules. Forgive me! I know where I want it, it's just not flowing right now...

Anywho, a great weekend to you all!

~Pianist


	8. Fights: Part 1- John vs Bailey

Abbie's POV.

I crawled into the front seat of Bailey's car. It was so early. Like, two hours, too early...

"Whose brilliant idea was it..." I had to stop to yawn, "to get up this bloody early, anyway?"

Bailey waited to move until I was strapped in. "I think I suggested it, and John agreed."

"Oh. So I can beat you both with a stick at the gym?" I teased, smirking weakly.

Bailey laughed. How was she so awake?!

I managed to stay conscious the rest of the drive, even though Bailey's smooth driving made it very hard. When we picked up the men, I noticed that they both looked like they had gotten plenty of sleep. I sighed, and straightened in my seat. I was at least going to greet them properly.

"Morning gents!" I said smiling.

"Morning!" Said John. The two climbed in the back, and as they did, I noticed Sherlock had a gun under his long coat. My eyes widened slightly, and I brought my gaze to his, silently questioning his motive. He caught it, and put his index finger over lips, telling me to keep quiet. Then he winked. I kept my surprise to myself, trying to act normal. I turned back to the road before me. Our little secret, I suppose...

We made it to the gym a few minutes later. As we climbed out and began heading in, Bailey noted Sherlock's choice of apparel.

"Really, Sherlock? A suit and button down shirt? You might as well keep the coat and scarf on too, cuz I'm gonna school you!"

My mind immediately went to the gun under his suit jacket, so I did what any rational best friend would do. I hinted lightly at potential danger. "Remember what Foaly said in book one: 'If your feeling cocky, it's because there is something you don't know.'" Bailey and I have read many of the same books, and watched many of the same movies, and have a reasonable list of favorite quotes. We tend to remember the ones from Artemis Fowl, Percy Jackson, Lord of the Rings, ect, the most. (This one was from Artemis Fowl, in case you were curious.)

We made it into the gym, and Sherlock shed his coat. Bailey was out on the floor, running a few stretches. I sat down on the edge of the stage up front with John.

Sherlock walked out onto the floor with Bailey, and I watched in silent agony.

"Ready?" She asked him.

"Absolutely," he grinned, pulling the hand gun.

Bailey gave the gun a "really?" look. Then CRACK! The gun was half way across the room. Bailey had smacked the back of his hand and the soft part of his wrist at the same moment, which forced him to let go.

"Come on!" Bailey complained. "I wanted hand on hand! And Abbie, I saw that. Thanks for the warning." She stuck her tongue out at me. I returned the gesture. Although, I had been impressed by how quickly and calmly she took on the situation.

"Hmmm." Sherlock mussed, seemingly unperturbed. "Well, then you need John. I am not fond of that sort of thing."

John stepped up, smirking at Sherlock's back as they passed each other.

"Don't go easy on me please. That is so boring," Bailey said. I noticed how close Bailey's and Sherlock's personalities were. Yes, Bailey was not ungracious and manipulative, but they both get bored rather easily, they both prefer one or two close friends, and they are both very observant. They also looked quiet a bit alike, which was odd.

Sherlock sat down a few feet away from me, but I didn't have time to contemplate that. I was too worried about how quickly they cracked down on one another.

John was stronger, but Bailey was faster. This kept them in a head lock basically for fourteen straight minutes. That was the most terrifying fourteen minutes of my life, needless to say. Every time they hit each other, (which was way more times than I wanted to keep track of) I winced. At one point, I whipped my head away as Bailey took a hit hard, just below the eye. As I did, I caught Sherlock smirking at me. He returned his eyes back to the fight, and I fought inwardly to keep down a blush. What was it about this guy that I liked so much? He was cold, uncaring, calculating. He was everything my nature fought against.

But then again, why was he actually here? I thought. Why are they wasting valuable time with us when they could be investigating whatever case them came to work on? My reverie was gone in an instant though when I heard another grunt from Bailey. They were both pouring sweat, and Bailey had a black eye. I knew they wouldn't stop on their own, so I decided to do the motherly thing and break it up.

"Guys." No response. "Guys!" Nothing. "GUYS!" I shouted. That got them to wake up.

"What?" They both asked. Bailey was rather annoyed, because John had sent a punch to the face, and she had bent back until she was parallel to the floor. That is where they froze. I had to hold down a grin at comedic nature of the scene.

"It's been fifteen minutes. I think that's enough." I looked to Sherlock, who nodded in agreement.

"Yeah," John said between fits of gulping air. "She is most definitely in. Great fight!" They shook and I smiled at Bailey.

"That was the best I have seen you fight yet!" I said tossing her a bottle of water.

"Thanks!" She took a long draft, the equivalent of half the bottle.

"Next," Sherlock said, motioning me to John.

"No," I said immediately.

"What?"

"I said no. There is no way I am fighting him after he's already been nearly beaten to a pulp!"

He looked confused for a second, then just shrugged.

"So fight Sherlock!" John said.

"What?! Are you crazy?!" I asked.

"Come on, what the big deal, Abbie?" Bailey asked. "He wants to fight less than you do, so you'll be evenly matched!"

The big deal was that I had actually been hoping I wouldn't have to fight. I knew he wanted to see us in action, but fighting for show always made me uncomfortable.

"Look, I have heard about you both," I nodded at John, " and I know danger when I see it. He," I gestured to Sherlock, "Is flagging red hot danger."

"Oh, Abbie. You are truly ridiculous."

"Fine! I'll do it! But you will have to be the one that explains to my parents why you have to pay for my funeral."

I kicked off my shoes and socks, allowing my toes to grip the cold maple floor. I took a swig of water before stepping out on the floor. We met, center ring, the confidant detective, and the uncomfortable teen, staring their opponent down before attacking.

"Are you offense or defense?"

He rolled his eyes. "What do you think?"

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Chapter Song: I couldn't decide which one to do on this one. So I want opinions! I had 'Another One Bites the Dust' by Queen, but does anybody have any other suggestions?

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Thanks for reading! Have a great week!

-Pianist


	9. Fights: Part 2- Sherlock vs Abbie

(Bailey's P.O.V)

I sat down on the edge of the raised stage in the gym, exhausted, to watch Abbie and Sherlock fight. John came over to sit beside me, and gave me a high five. "You really are very good, you know," he whispered. High praise coming from Dr. Watson, the military man. We clinked water bottles. Sherlock began the fight on the offensive by throwing a roundhouse kick to Abbie's solar plexus. Abbie and Sherlock were almost evenly matched: Abbie was shorter but could still kick Sherlock's head (which she did on more than one occasion) and had much more training, but Sherlock was used to a street fight. Abbie was gaining the upper hand until, after about six and half minutes, Sherlock noticed the gun behind Abbie. I considered running out and snagging it, but decided that it would be better just to sit tight and let events unfold. Sherlock used a front kick as a distraction, took three quick steps, and grabbed it, pointing it at the back of her head. He cocked it, and she froze, knowing that sound meant no sudden moves.

"It appears that there is only one new member on the team, John," Sherlock said calmly, despite his bruised up collarbone. I need to turn him around so she has a chance, I thought. Despite my blasé attitude, I really didn't want to do this without my best friend. Turns out that she didn't need help, though. She raised her hands in supposed defeat but just as her arms reach shoulder height, she whirled suddenly and knocked the gun from Sherlock's hand. A quick nukite (fingertips) to his solar plexus and Sherlock was DOWN!

"Sure about that?" Abbie asked haughtily, as if putting her foot on Sherlock's back and raising her arms in victory had made her queen of the universe. [Yes, Ab, you really did sound like that.]. Then she rushed to help Sherlock up with a concerned, "Are you alright?"

Sherlock dusted himself off as Abbie and I shared our special high five sequence. "Yes, I'll be fine," he said. "I will text you when we need you," he said, directing this at me. I nodded, then stood as John rose and joined Sherlock in heading for the door.

He shook his head. "Cute, smart, and violent!" We got into the car, and I was so sore that I'm surprised I made it home! We dropped Sherlock and John at the hotel, I dropped Abbie off at her house, and then I hightailed it home for a warm bubble bath!

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Chapter song: Mission Impossible, by The Piano Guys

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Thank you for reading! Also, apologies for lateness. I have been a little busy, and needed to get some other things done first...

In answer to my fantastic co-author, would anyone be remotely interested in reading our first draft? It is much more light hearted, sounds like it was written at the wrong hours of the day, and includes stories about our siblings, which in this are not. Any takers?

Anyway, have a superlative week! (My word of the day: superlative!) And updates will completed on Saturday, to the best of my knowledge!

-Pianist


	10. At the Hotel

(Sherlock's POV.)

John and I arrived at the brand new Hampton Inn and waved as the girls drove off. We limped into the lobby and took the elevator up to room 304. Our bruised up faces and limps didn't earn us nearly as many odd looks as they probably should have. John plopped down on one of the beds as soon as we walked in the door. I took an armchair facing the TV. "They appear well. I think they are suitable for the task."

John gave me an odd look. "Actually, for their sizes and weights they did remarkably well!" he corrected. I ignored the comment.

"I approve calling them when needed." I was sore. "John, run a hot bath for me."

John laughed. "Not your housekeeper, dear!" he said in a bad imitation of Mrs. Hudson.

I was not amused. "John, I'm sore. Hot bath now, please."

John sighed, then slowly rose with a wince. "Okay, but only because you said please. But be quick about it because I am going to be stiff." He headed off to the bathroom. "Oh, and John?"

"Yes, Sherlock?"

"Don't forget the bubbles."

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Chapter song: You've got a Friend in Me, originally performed by Randy Newman in the sound track of Toy Story.

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My wonderful Co-Author wrote this chapter, sending it to me at the very moment that I needed a smile. She will never cease to amaze me! I wondered at first, if it was too out of character for Sherlock, but then I thought, it's funny and cute: Keeper! Maybe this will brighten someone else's day, as well!

Anyway, thank you for reading! I hope to have another chapter up later today, or tomorrow, since I didn't update over the weekend. (I know, shame on me.)

Have a superior week!


	11. Months Later

(Abbie's POV)

It had been months since we last saw Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson. Dr. Watson and I kept tabs on each other through his blog or e mail and Bailey and Sherlock had texted some, but that was about it. Another long year of school, basically. I had sort of given up on the thought that they might need our help. I mean, if you think about it, why would they want our help? They are smart, they work well together, and barely make enough money to keep their own heads above water. Taking on two more would be their downfall. Sure we can "take care" of ourselves, but we have never needed to "support" ourselves before. I snapped out of my daydream long enough to realize my phone was blasting music. I giggled. My ring tone for Bailey was the Psych theme song.

"Oh lo?" I said as seriously as I could. Bailey laughed.

"It's 'hello.'" She said.

"Oh! Hello?" (If you have younger siblings, you have likely watched Megamind more than once.) "What's up?"

"Well," she said, sounding excited, "I just finished my last college class of the semester and was wondering if you wanted to celebrate by going to the Green Kiwi and get some frozen yogurt with me!"

"I would love to! Hold on, let me text my mom. I'll text you back in a second to confirm or deny..."

I quickly texting my mom (who confirmed). A few minutes later, Bailey drove up out front.

We exchanged the normal hello's and I asked how the finals went. She had passed with flying colors (no one is surprised). Then it was quiet for a minute.

"Who is it this time?" Bailey asked.

"What?" I shook myself from my thinking zone.

"Every time you go really quiet, it's because you're thinking about a guy, so who is it?" She flashed me a grin as she stopped for a light.

"You know, I'm not always a love sick romantic." I stated firmly.

"No, but it's always more often than not. Was it a fantastic celebrity, or one of the nice fellows around town?"

"I was thinking about Mr. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, if you must know."

"Aha! The great Sherlock Holmes and his fine features have begun to haunt my best friend's daydreams! Perhaps I should have a word with him on that..."

"That is not necessary, thanks!" I said, flushing slightly. Yes, he's handsome and smart, so what?

We pulled into the parking lot of the frozen yogurt shop just as I was getting my embarrassment under control.

Bailey turned and looked at me. "You got that blush under lock and key?" She asked giggling.

"Haha." I said sarcastically, then I grinned. "Do they still have the caramel chocolate candies?"

"That's right, change the subject." Bailey winked. "But, yes, they do." I jumped out of the car fast and was inside before she could say anything else.

We filled our cups full of yummy goodness and sat down at a table near the counter, where we chatted with Abigail Tennant about how working at the Kiwi was going. (And yes, we have the same name. It was quite popular when I was born, apparently, because there are at least seven other girls in town that have that name too.) Abigail excused herself a few minutes later to serve a customer with two very young and restless children. I felt bad for the poor woman. Unruly children is one thing I understand very well. Bailey and I continued talking until she directed my attention with a quick discreet nod to a man in the back corner, who was talking on his phone. I wasn't sure why she would notice him. He looked exactly like every other mid-twenties guy that walked in here. Then I saw the gun handle under his jacket.

I looked back at her. "Undercover cop?" I asked quietly, keeping my cool and trying to look casual.

"Don't know. He's keeping an eye on us though."

I was just scooping another spoonful of chocolate peanut butter swirl when a song emanated from Bailey's purse.

"Who could that be?" Bailey muttered. She read the name. "It's...Sherlock!"

"Are you kidding?" I gave her a very serious look. After earlier, I refuse to be caught off guard again.

"No, I'm not." She flicked open the phone and hit the speaker button. "Hello Sherlock. Long time, no see!" From the slightly icy tone in her voice, I could tell she had given the "maybe -they -reconsidered" thought some time as well.

"We need you here ASAP, if not sooner," Mr. Holmes's low growl of a voice drifted through the speakers.

"What he means to say, is that we could use your help," said John's voice, a little farther off. Bailey and I shared a silent conversation via eye contact. I could tell she wanted to, even if they hadn't really given us much to go on these past few months. I felt the same.

"Where are you?" I asked, getting out of my seat, preparing to move.

"Look up," Sherlock said, sounding a little exasperated. I glanced out the window to see Sherlock and John watching us in a vacant lot across the five lane traffic.

"Well if that isn't creepy, I don't know what is!" I said, turning quickly to Abigail to say goodbye.

Bailey giggled. "We'll be right over!" And shut the phone. We hopped in the car and crossed the street to pick them up.

"There is no rush with you two, is there?" Sherlock asked, quickly clambering into the back seat.

"Hello to you too!" Bailey said.

"Hello," John said, climbing in after Sherlock. "Sorry about all this, it was a rather last minute for us as well."

"What was?" I asked.

"Bailey, drive. Head to the airport. We will explain on the plane." Sherlock stated.

"The plane?!" We both exclaimed.

"Don't worry, your parents know," John said, as if that solved every mystery in the universe.

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Chapter song: Santa Barbara Skies from _Psych: The Musical_ ( Don't ask why I choose this song. I have no idea either, besides the fact that my co-author and I both love this show!)

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Thanks for reading! Have a great week everyone!

If you haven't seen Psych, please watch it. It is a less serious version of Sherlock, except the main character claims to be psychic, even though he is not. It's really fun, and I'm sure you will all love it!


	12. Flying to London

I could see the shock and confusion written all over the girls' faces. We had not had solid contact for months, and then show up to drag them overseas? We had quite the drive to the airport the girls insisted on stopping any time they saw a good milkshake, smoothie, or ice cream place. We finally made it to the airport, and the girls held a hushed conversation as we headed through customs. We finally made it on the plane. As soon as we sat down in our first class seats, Abigail said, "Okay, spill. You said you'd tell us everything once we were on the plane. What's going on and where are you dragging us to?"

John answered the second question first. "We are taking you to London to stay with us."

I answered the first. "There have been multiple sightings of some of Moriarty's men in the Parkersburg area. We want you to help us track them and see what they are up to."

"Sweet!" Abigail said.

Bailey had more questions, though. "Why not stay here? How did Moriarty get here? Why is he here? How are we supposed to help? And can I order this delicious looking flourless chocolate torte?" she asked, pointing to a picture on the menu.

"Ooooh!" Abigail interjected.

I answered Bailey's questions in order. "We don't know how or why he is here. But he has connections to London, so that is why we are going back there. You are going to be our spies...help us gather information. And yes, you may." I felt perfectly fine telling Bailey what she could and could not do because...well, because of my personality. Bailey nodded, mulling over the information.

"Okay," she said finally. "Sounds fun!"

"Another thing: just for safety, we will say that Bailey is my little sister and Abigail is John's niece. However, that is just because of looks."

Abigail laughed. "Are you sure? You and Bailey even have similar tics and habits!" She was joking, but it was true. Then, she had a serious question. "What about clothes and...stuff?"

John answered. "You each have a bag of books and things to do in the compartment above you, along with a matching colored suitcase. Bailey, yours is green and Abbie, yours is purple. The suitcases have a change of clothes and a warmer outfit just in case."

"You can go shopping for the rest once we get to London," I finished. Bailey and Abigail shared an excited and dreamy look, and then turned around and quietly held an excited conversation. I noticed that Bailey had let Abigail take the window seat: clearly, Bailey had flown before and Abigail had not.

John remembered something and, pulling a little blue box out of his jacket pocket, leaned forward and got the girls' attention. "Do either of you get car , err, plane sick?"

Bailey shook her head. "Never have! I adore traveling." Her dad always did, too I thought. Then, Bailey went straight for a book. A bookworm like her mum.

Abbie blushed before admitting, "I used to. But I haven't lately."

John nodded. "Abbie, your mum sent these motion sickness bands just in case." Bailey was already absorbed in her novel and was oblivious to the outside world, but Abigail nodded in thanks, then turned back around. The rest of the flight passed uneventfully.

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Chapter song: "I'm Flying!" From Peter Pan the musical

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R&R please! That's all I ask!


	13. New Arrivals

(Bailey's P.O.V.)

Abbie and I watched too many movies on the way over! When we got to England, Abbie and I practically ran off the plane to get a look at the London skyline. Let me tell you that people are not exaggerating when they say that London is gray, foggy, and very rainy. Sherlock expertly hailed a cab once we finally exited the airport. Abbie and I just stared in awe out the window on the thirty minute ride to 221B.

When we walked in the door, Sherlock immediately shouted, "Mrs. Hudson! Tea for four in 221 B, please!" then marched up to his flat.

A faint, "Not your housekeeper, dearie!" drifted up from below.

John gestured us to follow him up the stairs, past his and Sherlock's flat, and to the one above. "Sorry about Sherlock," he said. "Anyway, this is your flat. This is the living room, there are two bedrooms over there, the kitchen is through that door, and bathroom over there," he gestured at each as he listed them.

Abbie and I nodded, then went to explore the bedrooms. John followed. "I call room on the right!" I shouted, jumping on the bed. "Oooooh! Memory foam!" I exclaimed. Abbie yelped, then ran into her room. Her bed, also, had a memory foam mattress! We each also had two smaller closets, a dresser, and a desk. Then we found the connecting doorway between the rooms. "This stays open," I said. Abbie nodded.

John just grinned at our antics. "Join us for tea?" he asked.

Abbie giggled at the extremely English -sounding invite. "Of course, Dr. Watson," she said in her best English accent. Which, I have to say, is not bad...[Bet you thought I was gonna say it is horrible! Hey hey hey! That was a compliment!]. We headed back down. Abbie and I took seats on the floor, since John and Sherlock had claimed the two armchairs and the couch was otherwise...ah...occupied. Mrs. Hudson brought in tea.  
>"Who are these two lovely young lady friends of yours?" she asked.<p>

"Mrs. Hudson, this is my niece Abbie and Sherlock's little sister Bailey. Remember us telling you about them? They're staying in the flat above," John introduced. Abbie and I rose. Mrs. Hudson shoved the tray of tea and biscuits into Sherlock's reluctant arms before giving Abbie and me both big hugs.

"Pleasure to meet you both, dears! You're both adorable things," she said, and I am sure that she had to resist the urge to pinch my cheeks like my little Greek great grandmother. "Enjoy the tea and biscuits, sweets," she said, kissing my cheek and Abbie's forehead before exiting. She poked her head back in the doorframe. "And if you need anything, girls, I'm just downstairs." Abbie and I sat back down and both accepted a cup of tea from John.

"Bailey and Abigail, Mrs. Hudson," Sherlock said, gesturing at the doorway. I nodded, politely refusing the tin of biscuits being offered by Sherlock. Most unusual of him to offer people things, isn't it? [Abs, isn't it obvious looking back why? No! It isn't interrupting the story! At least...not technically...so no more tickling!]. I passed the tin over to Abbie, who took a few and then set it on the floor next to her. A thought crossed her mind and she handed the tin to John , probably a much safer place for food. Just then, the doorbell buzzed. Moments later, Molly Hooper entered.

"Sherlock, what did you want me to do with the bodies..." she began as she entered the flat. She trailed off when she saw Abbie and me.

"Molly, meet my little sister Bailey and John's niece Abbie," Sherlock introduced. Abbie and I waved to Molly happily.

"Lovely to meet you both, girls!" Molly rejoined, smiling at us. She turned to Sherlock. "I didn't know you had a sister," she said in a 'Awww how sweet!" tone. Sherlock simply grunted in reply. "Anyway, I came to ask what you wanted me to do with the bodies you were using earlier."

Sherlock contemplated. "Hmmm...stick them in the cryogenic freezer for now." Molly nodded.  
>"So glad to meet you," she waved to me and Abbie and headed out the door to take care of Sherlock's bodies. Abbie and I shared a look. This was going to be interesting. At least the rest of tea passed quietly enough: Sherlock and John told us a little about how London was set up and filled us in on some current cases.<br>"Oh! By the way, you have blankets and pillows to use tonight as well as clothes for tomorrow, but John and I are going to drop you off to shop for...whatever...tomorrow," Sherlock stated. "And don't mind the budget. The government pays for everything."

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**Hey all that have made it this far! So sorry this took so long! The device that I was using for this crashed, and I figure out how to use a real laptop. *GASP!* I know, I know, shocking. But my last few weeks were a tail spin, so being able to write stuff and solve weird problems (like how to work a computer from the stone age of inventions) has been a great distraction.**

**I hope you all are having as much fun reading this as Reece and I had writing it! Please R&R, (that would be a wonderful Christmas gift!) **

**I would like to give a big shout out to Phoenixfire1547, for being the first to favorite and follow! I can not tell you how excited we were to see that!**

**Again, thanks for reading, and I hope to have another chapter up tomorrow... maybe... But until then, I bid you adu!**


	14. Breakfast

(John's POV)

The next morning when I woke, my thoughts immediately went to the girls, staying above Sherlock's flat. That thought sent a shiver down my spine.  
>I got a text from Abbie a few minutes later, telling me they were okay, and that there was breakfast being prepped.<p>

Mary and I got ready to leave together. Upon arrival, we beheld the faint smell of bacon and sausage. I smiled, and we headed over to Mrs. Hudson's flat. There we found Mrs. H. instructing her two new cooking pupils the art of perfected poached eggs. The girls were paying close attention, watching her every move like a couple of hawks.

After a moment, Abbie glanced up and saw me.

"Doctor..."she started, but she remembered her situation quickly. "Uncle John! We were just making breakfast. It will only be a few minutes now."

"It smells wonderful!" I said smiling at the three. Then I realized that Mary was still standing behind me. "Mrs, Hudson, would you mind if Mary sat in here while I go up and check on Sherlock?"

"Well, of course she can!" Mrs. Hudson exclaimed happily.

Abbie and Bailey smiled at Mary, who smiled right back. Sometimes I found it hard to believe that my wife had been, well, not as sweet and caring as she was now.

The girls quickly helped Mary settle in, insisting that they make her eggs and pancakes. She protested slightly, but when she saw the girls were determined, she relented.

I was about to leave to find out what Sherlock could have possibly gotten himself into when Bailey said,  
>"Sherlock went down to the morgue, by the way. Molly had a new corpse to look at," She said with a slight huff.<p>

"She wanted to go with him," Abbie said, explaining Bailey's slightly miffed attitude.  
>I smiled. That was the Sherlock I had come to know so well.<p>

I knew it might be dangerous to go to the flat (who knew what surprises Sherlock had prepared for intruders), so I sat and waited for the girls to finish. After breakfast, I made sure Mary would be okay getting home while I took the girls to the mall. Sherlock arrived back just as we were putting the last of the dishes away. Bailey complained to him about missing breakfast, and not having the most important meal of the day, but he ignored her. Sherlock disappeared into his flat, only to return a few minutes later, looking slightly worn and put out.  
>"Did they find another body?" Bailey asked excitedly. Then she read his features, glanced at Abbie, who shrugged, and went back to Sherlock. "You solved the case while you were upstairs, didn't you?"<br>He sighed. "Let's get you two to the mall."

And as fast as he came through the door, he left. The girls grabbed their purses and the three of us followed his lead. Outside, Sherlock had already hailed a taxi, so we all piled in.

Abbie and Bailey sat in the front row, discussing color schemes and ideas for furniture arrangements. Their chatter ceased half way to our destination to be replaced with silent gaping at Big Ben and the Eye of London. When they got their voice boxes back, Bailey instinctively asked,

"Can we go ride on the Eye at some point?"

Sherlock nearly grinned, which was rather impressive when he was bored and lost in his mind palace at the same time.

"Absolutely!" I answered.

When we made it to the centre, the girls jumped out and stared at us through the cab door.

"Your sure it's okay to use this credit card for anything?" Bailey asked carefully.

"Yes, get whatever you like," Sherlock answered the slightest bit too soon. Bailey took no notice, or at least, as far as I could tell.

"So, if we wanted to do new cushions in the living ro-"

"Yes, you can do it!" Sherlock interrupted. I kept my curious questions in my head.

They squealed slightly in excitement, then dashed off with a quick wave before Sherlock could potentially change his mind.

My gaze turned to him. I was about to ask him why he was being so sharp when he spoke.

"My brother may be a pain, but he does have some uses," Sherlock said blandly.

I nodded. I knew asking for more information could lead to trouble, so I kept my curiosity to myself. We rode for another half hour and made it to Scotland Yard. We were there for a matter of three hours, checking out a cold case. Sherlock was getting into a small argument with Sally about a new lead on their case, when my cell buzzed.

I sighed with relief when I read Abbie's text about their being almost done, and ready to head back. I quickly texted her that they still had a few hours before supper, if they weren't sure on something yet. But the response held the same phrasing as the first.

I relayed this to Sherlock, and we headed out. Outside the door stood a limousine. At the same moment, Sherlock's phone buzzed. The text read:

"Get in the car. I don't want to roll down the window, because it is much too cold for that. MH"

"Great," I thought in disgusted silence. "Just what we need. Another Holmes to make life complicated!"

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**Hello, hello! I got another posted! Albeit at twelve thirty at night! **

**Anyways, hope you enjoyed! **

**also, I realized I did not post a chapter song... This Chapter's is Super Trooper by ABBA. The reason for this is that Sherlock obviously got on Mycroft's nerves, and this song gets on my brother's nerves. I thought it was appropriate. **

**The last chapter's song was Defying Gravity, from ****_Wicked._**** (I am hoping the reason is self explanatory...)**

**Big shout out to CalicoKitty402 for Following and favoring! Thank you so much!**

**I hope to have another up in the evening, but no promises. Christmas is a pressing thing!**


	15. Shopping and Hot Dates

Abbie's POV.

We shopped for almost four hours, gathering supplies for the flat (and ourselves...). The first thing on our list was general decor. We started with the living room, deciding that the first thing it would need was a piano. We both played and planned to go into music once we made it to college, so it was vital that we get practice time in.

After we agreed to a beautiful cheery wood upright, and making sure it was going to be delivered properly, we moved on to color schemes. We decided on a simple black and white theme, with a few bold strokes of blue, purple, or green here and there. After finding pillows, curtains and a rug to cover the completely bare floor, we moved on to bedrooms.

We completed that task quickly, and moved on to the electronic side of life. Bailey picked out a new iPhone 5, and I went for a 4. Bailey also wanted a new iPad "to compensate for the fact that her tablet was on it's last leg." I just nodded, keeping my head in the DVD section. I had found the Hunger Games, the Hobbit, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Castle seasons one through six all half off. I was in heaven.

We eventually found ourselves a flat screen television. Then we gave in and bought the boys one too. They couldn't possibly be okay with using that pile of junk they call a Telly. We also bought a blue ray player, and cool stereo sound system that can act as surround sound for the tv, or speakers for my iPod.

Eventually we made it to the shopping for clothes part, and we found lots of stuff! I bought a few dresses, but it was mostly comfy casual clothes. I would occasionally buy a scarf, or a new necklace. Bailey, on the other hand, went full out.

All the too-big-to-carry items were to be held on to until the next day, when we would come pick it all up. I gave Bailey a wary look as we sat down to hot chocolate and pastries.

"We spent over six thousand pounds today..." I said quietly, as I finished typing it all up on the calculator of my new phone guiltily.

Bailey grinned. "So? My big brother Mycroft is taking care of it!" She said in character.

I rolled my eyes, but smiled in spite of myself. After I typed John a quick text, letting him know that we were done, I went back to talking to Bailey. When I went back to focussing my eyes on her, something caught my attention.

I saw two rather gorgeous guys sitting a few tables down from us. Their features were strong, their bodies built for football or wrestling. They weren't brothers: too many differences. (Again, preferences!) They looked to be about the same age as each other, and a little older than Bailey. I remembered seeing them when we came out of the piano shop near the beginning of our excursion.

Bailey caught my staring, and began the typical ribbing. "You looking at a hot date?" She asked. Then she saw whom I was looking at. "Oh wow."

"Yeah," I said calmly. "Do you remember seeing them after we got out of the piano store?"

"Yes, I do, actually."

"Do you think they are following us?"

"Maybe..." Bailey said cryptically. She winked at me. "Maybe their looking for dates too!"

To keep the blush that I felt starting down to a minimum, I decided to joke back. "Maybe their spies."

"For whom?" Bailey asked skeptically.

I shrugged. "Mycroft. Or one of Sherlock's enemies..." I got a text from John saying they were almost there and to meet them out back. I sighed with relief. No more comments about guys. I couldn't help thinking of Artemis Fowl at the beginning of book five, when Butler was ribbing him for thinking about girls.

"I wonder if he figured out how to control it?" I thought to myself.

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Chapter song: Money, Money, Money (Rich Man's World) by ABBA

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**Sorry about the delay guys! Christmas is making me crazy! But I will survive it!**

**Anyway, the next few days are crazy for me and my family, so the likelihood of me being able to use the computer during that time is slim to nothing. However, I will try to get you a few more chapters before the year is gone! **

**Please R&R!**

**Merry Christmas to everyone, wherever you are! And take time to remember why we celebrate it each year!**


	16. Action and Abduction

Bailey's POV

Abbie informed me that John was waiting in the back parking lot for us. We gathered up our numerous bags (there were a lot) and staggered out the back door. When the two cute boys saw the trouble we were having, they offered to help us out. We agreed, slightly awed and mostly grateful.

The back lot didn't seem odd to us as the front parking lot was jam packed with shoppers and their bad attitudes. We got out of the store and the boys set our bags down carefully on the sidewalk, bid us adieu, and went back inside. What we found out back, however, was not John's mini cooper, but a black Bentley limo with tinted windows.

The front passenger side window rolled down and the pretty woman inside said, without looking up from her phone, "Get in the car, you two. And please don't make me get up. I'm trying to text." Abbie and I looked at each other, confused.

"Why on earth would you think we would get into a strange car with a person we've never met?" I questioned, hands on hips. "We aren't movie characters, you know." The woman looked annoyed.

"But you'd get in the car with us," John's voice drifted from the back seat of the Bentley.

"If we asked you to," Sherlock rushed to add.

"Maybe." Abbie said.

"But you would have to let us see you so we know it's you..." I said.

"And then tell us something that only you would know." Abbie finished. With only a glance warning between the two of us, we turned as one and began running toward the mall.

Now the woman looked very annoyed with us. "Backup," she said with a sigh. Four largerthanSherlock could ever hope to be men appeared. Abbie and I shared an all telling look.

"Shi don go?" she asked. (Shi don go means 45 in Japanese. This represents the forty fifth kata that Abbie and I have learned in Shotokan Karate.)

"Yep!" I replied. We went back to back.

"Forty five?" Sherlock's voice asked.

"Uh huh," I grunted, flipping over Abbie's back and kicking one of the guys in the neck, despite my 4'10" frame. Abbie roundhouse kicked a guy in the temple and he dropped to the ground with a heavy thud.

One minute. That was how long it took everyone to realize what we were doing and for us to take the guys out. We started for the mall again.

Now the woman looked very, very annoyed with us. "Plan B," she said. We paused. Just for a split second. But that was enough for the four other men to cover our mouths and noses with foul smelling cloths. I fought against the anesthetic and probably held out longer than I should have, but eventually everything went black.

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Chapter Song: Wolves, from the soundtrack of Disney's **_Frozen_**

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Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. This was one of my favorite parts in the first half of the book! Tune in next time to meet the culprit behind these unfortunate events!

I must apologize... I will not be able to update for the rest of the year, unfortunately. All you lovelies will have to wait until next year for more! ;~D

Have a wonderful New Years Eve, and Happy New Year to you all! May God bless you and keep you in the year to come!


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